


Project Starfall

by gligroxle



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles X
Genre: Action/Adventure, Eventual Romance, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, SPOILERS BTW, but probably not for awhile tbh, first fic too btw so sorry if it's terribad, i gain/lose motivation quickly oops, it's all OCs in this household, none of the main characters will be the focus just so you know, sorry Elma stans, sorta hiatus, still don't have it fully planned out but whatevs, this has been a WIP for like 3 years my god, this literally takes place after the main story ends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27884110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gligroxle/pseuds/gligroxle
Summary: The war between the humans and Ganglion came to an end when Team Elma finally secured the Lifehold and ended the Ganglion leader's life. With the team occupied handling the Lifehold, there were many issues within NLA that remained unresolved. One team will rise to the occasion to improve the livelihood of NLA's citizens; a very unorthodox team indeed.Aka XCX but all the side quests are the main story and focusing on an original cast of characters!
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	1. A Whole Different Planet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my what the fuck, it really shouldn't have taken me this long to write this...
> 
> But hi! Welcome to my very first fic, that has been in the process for 3 years. In my defense, I'm working on like 8 other different fics and a long term RP because what are management skills? .w.
> 
> I half made this because I wanted to showcase just how important X's side quests are in terms of the dilemma all the NPCs face as well as the surprising amount of lore these quests reveal, and half because I'm scratching that itch for xeno main characters that aren't just recolored humans (looking at you Celica, L, and Elma).
> 
> I...admittedly still don't have this fully planned out but I work better doing imrpov as I write anyway, so I hope you all enjoy this story! I have loads of stuff planned that I can't wait to get into, so look forward to it! I will say right now, don't expect a consistent upload schedule, it's hard for me to sit down and write, but I can at least promise a chapter a week for all of December to celebrate X's release since, well, the wind do be blowing hard in December .w.
> 
> This first chapter is also a celebration as today is X's 5 year anniversary, woo!! I owe a lot to this game, and I hope this fic does some of its best parts justice. With all that said, I hope you guys stick around for the ride!

September 2056, A.D.

Two years after the Earthlife Colonization Project was launched in order to preserve what humanity was able to after two warring alien races destroyed Earth in the middle of their fight, one of the ark ships, known as the White Whale, ended up attacked by one of the alien species responsible for Earth’s destruction: the Ganglion. This attack caused the White Whale to make a crash landing on a nearby planet, one that thankfully seemed able to preserve everyone’s lives. However, the majority of the ship ended up breaking apart in the atmosphere, leaving only the city it carried, New Los Angeles, intact, which served as humanity’s home on this distant planet.

As months went by, the organization known as BLADE, Builders of a Legacy After the Destruction of Earth, mostly made up of past military members, served as humanity’s trailblazers on this unknown planet, named Mira. Thanks to their efforts, namely those by one particular team led by a woman named Elma, BLADE was able to make contact with many friendly xenos, explore many of the planet’s continents, and even recover pieces of the White Whale. However, they had one main objective: the recovery of the Lifehold, which not only housed DNA of many species from Earth that could be reverse engineered, but the DNA of the humans’ real bodies as well; everyone in NLA is actually mimeosome, essentially a highly advanced android with plenty of human functions. As it turns out, the Ganglion fear the humans’ real bodies and seek to destroy them. The Lifehold itself is also on a countdown of backup power; once it reaches zero, it shuts down, and without the power needed for the humans to control their mims from the computer that has everyone’s consciousness stored, the computer shuts off, causing the mims to shut down, effectively killing the remainder of humanity.

Team Elma, along with their closest allies, soon found the Lifehold, and went to recover it. The Ganglion have also discovered it, but were thwarted, and, thanks to one particular BLADE member who briefly lost his way, were able to kill the leader, Luxaar. Though the Ganglion retreated, plenty of stragglers still litter the planet, not to mention plenty of the planet’s indigens that serve as a constant threat towards humanity. On top of that, there’s the issue of conflicts arising within the safe haven of NLA itself.

* * *

November 2056, A.D.

It was only around a week after the Lifehold’s recovery that an unexpected surprise showed up just outside of NLA. In the southern eastern part of the plain and rocky filled continent of Primordia, arriving on the sands of Cliffside Beach, was a lone lifepod. These pods held the mims while they were on board of the White Whale, keeping the person inside in stasis until they were awakened from the outside. Thankfully for the person inside this pod, they were going to be fine. It was day time, so the indigens occupying the beach weren’t hostile in the slightest (no, the real threat came at night time in that particular area). That, and there was a person nearby who took notice of the pod not long after its arrival.

The person was an Orphean, a race of humanoid mantis-like xenos who vacated to New LA thanks to the efforts of Team Elma. His entire body was a solid gray color with a mauve tint to it. His build was the same as the rest of his species, being very skinny and relatively tall. He had two antennae that were thin and curved backward, and narrow, oval shaped eyes that were light purple in color. He seemed to stand at about 6’3”.

The Orphean’s attire was the same as the rest of his species; the parts of the outfit that were different were the normally cream colored segments with the blue tint, his were instead an off white color. Another change was the plated part at his chest, usually consisting of a black color with a different colored intricate design of lines covering it; he had the same black background color, with a pattern of green colored X’s covering it. All in all, his outfit- no, his entire being was clearly something not of Earth, that much was certain.

He had a device in his hand, a sort of tablet, and seemed to be looking through it, but the moment he caught sight of the lone pod, he made an immediate beeline for it. The pod thankfully seemed to be intact. It had a keypad on what was presumably the door, where the Orphean began inputting a code. There was a confirmation sound, along with a loud hissing noise as the door opened up, revealing a human, most likely a young adult or late teenager.

He had light, fair skin and a svelte figure, and short, spiky yet shaggy blue hair. He looked to be about 5’7” in terms of height. He was dressed in rather casual clothes: a light blue jacket with a white hood, a dark blue t-shirt underneath, white pants, and light blue shoes with white accents. A pair of blue square-framed glasses were also on him, along with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck, which draped down to his stomach.

The Orphean hefted the person’s body out the pod, laying him on the sand with a frown plastered on his face.

  
“He should’ve woken up by now… Hey, kid, c’mon, get up. Don’t die on me now!” He grabbed the boy by his shoulders, starting to shake him lightly at first, but soon growing more vigorous as the seconds went by. It took a minute, but, thankfully, the boy’s eyes started to open, revealing them to be silver in color. From his perspective, everything seemed blurry, and he couldn’t make out any sounds around him. He was...confused for sure. He had to focus. He could make out a voice; it was...strange, like someone talking through a weird filter.

  
“...ey… ...ou...kay… Hey… Hey! Are you alright? Focus on me, you’re still getting used to-”

  
An ear piercing shriek threw the Orphean for a loop, and the following shove knocked him back. The now fully awake human was white as a sheet, backing away towards the water.

  
“G-g-get away from!! What… What are you!? Where am I!? ...Wait… W-where...is this…?” He took in the surrounding area: the giant canine-looking aliens in the distance, the large crab-like...things on the same beach minding their own business, the sky itself unlike anything he’s seen. Certainly nothing he’s seen on Earth before.

The Orphean was quick to recover, rubbing his head and grumbling in annoyance. “That’s quite the way to thank someone who saved you just now… Now, to answer your questions, I am an Orphean. My name is Zin’cord. You are on Cliffside Beach. And this place is Primordia. Now, would you mind giving me a name to call you?”

The kid looked back to this Zin’cord. He...seemed nice enough. He at least wasn’t trying to attack or eat him. The boy inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself, and let out a long exhale before finally responding. “My name is...Farris. Farris Serone. It’s, um, nice to meet you. I’m sorry for freaking out on you,I just wasn’t expecting...an alien to be the first thing I wake up to… Where exactly is this place?”

  
Zin’cord had a frown plastered on his face. Right, of course Farris would be confused. He had been in stasis all this time. The Orphean quickly cleared his throat. “Well, first things first, what do you remember? Do you recall the events that occurred to your previous homeworld?”

Farris had a frown of his own present. He remembered. He remembered everything. “...There was a giant battle between two alien species. They brought it right to our planet, so everyone had to evacuate. I..got on this giant ship called the White Whale. My parents, they spent a ton of money in order to secure spots on the ship for me and my sister…”

He paused for a second, his frown deepening. It wasn’t due to sadness, he had already gone through that on his trek through space in the two year voyage. No, he was trying desperately to remember more after that point.

“...I don’t remember much of what happened on the ship. I think I was asleep for a lot of it. But, I can remember times when I had to train. The higher ups said something about me needing to learn to hold my own. That me and my sister had to earn our keep. So, they taught us some stuff about fighting. It...made sense, if there was another alien attack, but I hated it… I can’t remember anymore after that.”

Zin’cord nodded along with every sentence Farris spoke, rubbing one of his antennae once he finished his tale in thought. It was a habit for him whenever he was thinking. At least this made filling him in much easier.

“Well, allow me to fill in the rest of the blanks of your voyage. Your superiors were correct, your ark ship was tracked down and attacked by one of the alien forces that destroyed your planet. It had to make a forced landing on this nearby planet, having been caught in the gravitational field. The ship itself broke apart when entering the atmosphere, but thankfully the habitat unit stayed intact. You should remember it as New Los Angeles.”

Farris’s eyes widened in surprise. Had this Zin’cord fellow been there the whole time? He was about to ask, but it seems the Orphean had read his mind.

“Before you wonder, no, I wasn’t present when this event took place, but my superiors at BLADE were kind enough to inform me of your species’ circumstances. Ahem, but allow me to welcome you to humanity’s new home. This is planet Mira.”

Farris’s face was indiscernible. He took another glance at his surroundings. This certainly was, without a doubt, an alien world. It was his new home. But…

He turned back to Zin’cord, looking rather scared now. “What… What am I supposed to do now? A-and those aliens that brought the ship down, are they still around? And  _ those _ aliens,” he referred to the nearby forfexes and grexes, “are they dangerous? Will they hurt us-”

Zin’cord raised his hand up to silence Farris. “Listen, I understand your concerns, but we should continue this discussion in NLA. You said you were trained how to fight while onboard the White Whale, so there’s someone I think you should have a talk with. But, I should try to alleviate some of your concerns. The Ganglion, those aliens that wanted to eradicate your species, have more or less been dealt with. Their leader and many of their commanders are dead, but this planet is littered with stragglers. As for the indigens, the wildlife on this planet, some will leave you alone, some will attack you. It’s important that you learn to defend yourself which, from the sounds of it, you seem to have some knowledge on how to do. For the time being, I can protect us until we reach the city. So, Farris, shall we be off?”

It was a lot to take in. It seemed that the outside world was filled with nothing but danger. But NLA, that seemed like a safe haven at least, especially if it’s as he remembered it when living on the White Whale. Trekking there seemed scary when there’s indigens around bigger than Farris himself, more so knowing that some were hostile. But, he had Zin’cord at least. This person seemed trustworthy and dependable. Being with him seemed like the best, and only, choice for the young man.

  
“...Ok. Lead the way, Zin’cord. Let’s hurry on back where it’s safe.”

The Orphean gave a single nod, and with that, the two began their short trek back to the massive habitat unit known as New Los Angeles, both not knowing just how much they’ll be making an impact on a plethora of people’s livelihoods once they returned. Of course, it won’t just be the two of them alone; they’ll make plenty of new allies along their journey, and just as many enemies. But, that’ll all be revealed one chapter at a time...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any feedback is generally appreciated, so long as it isn't just outright bashing or hate of course. Thank you all for taking time out of your day to read this piece of mine. And yes, Farris is based off my profile pic which is from Pokken Tournament's character creator. I can't help it, I REALLY like that design, so I made it my own as a sort of half self insert, half main OC type thing.
> 
> Also Orphean armor is hard as shit to describe so, like, if my description confused you, just cross-reference it with their official art, that's legit what I used because like...how do you describe that outfit??
> 
> And yes, the chapter title is referencing what you're thinking it is .w.
> 
> Anyway, with all that said, once again, thank you for checking out this fic of mine! I'll see you all next week for the next chapter!


	2. BLADE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? Posting a day earlier than intended?
> 
> Yeah, since i'm off work on Thursdays, i figured it'd be good to post today instead of Fridays like before so i can upload these earlier!
> 
> This chapter's much longer than the previous one, so buckle down for a long read. And the next one is even longer, so yeah, we're getting into the real meat of things now .w.
> 
> Hope you all enjoy reading this, and thanks for checking out my fic once again!

The trek back towards NLA was a rather short one; Cliffside Beach was only a little ways off the beaten path from the East Gate Plain. Farris saw a number of indigens on the way back: some were as tall as a house, others small and cute, and the rest rather ferocious looking, especially those, what Zin’cord informed him were called, grexes. They seemed ready to attack at a moment’s notice, yet they never did approach the duo. Zin’cord explained that the indigens around NLA were much more aware of the threat its inhabitants posed to them should they ever attack first. Even so, the glares didn’t help ease Farris’s nerves, but that wouldn’t be an issue for long. Not more than a few minutes later, they were already at the gate. Just as Farris remembered, the Habitat unit known as New Los Angeles was huge. He wondered just how far the place had come; back on the White Whale, it was more or less nothing, and now it had been converted into a huge city.

Zin’cord greeted the soldiers that were at the entrance and made his way inside, with Farris following behind. They were soon within the walls of NLA, more specifically, in the administrative district, which Zin’cord explained to Farris they would be staying in for the time being.

The young man couldn’t help but to gaze at his surroundings in awe. The technology around was incredible, and Farris knew it was thanks to those Skell things. He saw them when still on the White Whale. Good for combat, but also a useful asset when it came to construction it seemed.

  
The sound of Zin’cord clearing his throat snapped Farris out of his stupor, looking over at the Orphean, who stroked at one of his antennae in thought.

“I understand this is all very impressive to see for your kind’s standards, but we do still have business to attend to. Follow me, we’ll be heading for the BLADE barracks.”

Zin’cord began walking, but Farris stopped him, asking a simple question. “What’s BLADE? You mentioned it before when you woke me up.”

The Orphean turned around to face Farris, arms crossed over his chest. He would’ve rather waited until they were in the barracks, but it was important that he made sure Farris felt secure. Leaving questions unanswered was a quick way for things to backfire.

  
“BLADE is an organization that was established after NLA crashed down here. It stands for Builders of a Legacy After the Destruction of Earth. Essentially, BLADE’s job is to ensure humanity’s survival and longevity. More will be explained once we reach the barracks. There’s someone I want you to meet. Now, let us make haste.”

Zin’cord continued his trek towards one of the nearby buildings. The answer was enough to satisfy Farris, who quickly jogged over to his alien acquaintance before he was left behind, walking side by side with him. The pair reached the entrance when a voice from behind caught both of their attention.

“Zinny! Fancy meeting here! Oh? Juni not know Zinny made new friend.”

They both turned around to see...no one at eye level at first. A glance to the left? No. The right? No one there either. Down?

Yep, bingo.

This person was a Nopon, a cute and furry race of Mira with round and small bodies. They, too, vacated to NLA thanks to Team Elma’s efforts. And with their unique way of speaking, it seemed this one was named Juni.

He seemed to have lavender fur covering the whole of his body, with the area around his stomach having a lighter variation of the color. His wings have this same light lavender in the form of two stripes at the “hands”, and his wing “fingertips” are a purple color. This purple color is also present at the ends of his three-pronged cheek tufts. His flaming-mohawk styled lavender hair has purple colored highlights, and the horizontal squiggly marks on his cheeks are dark purple in color. His eyes are a light blue color, and he looked to be around 3’4” (hair included, 2’6” excluding his hair).

He wore a half-body dark purple suit, covering his top half and leaving his bottom half exposed. The suit has to be zipped up, given the large silver pull tab at his neck when it’s zipped closed. His wings weren’t covered up by the suit thanks to an opening around his shoulders, which helped given how much the Nopon were dependent on those wings more than their actual hands.

Farris, thankfully, didn’t lose it like he did with Zin’cord, though with this Nopon as adorable as he looked, how could he be afraid? He gave a smile, kneeling down to Juni’s height and extending his hand. “Nice to meet you, my name’s Farris. You called yourself Juni, right?”

The Nopon gave a proud smile, shaking Farris’s...finger with his small hand. “Fair-Fair correct! Juni name, and best remember! Juni is super important BLADEpon after all!”

Before Farris could inquire further, Zin’cord pulled him up by the shoulders up to his feet, holding him away from the Nopon. “Farris, steer clear from him. He acts noble, but he’s anything but.”

Farris’s face began warming up from how close Zin’cord was holding him. This was embarrassing… He was never good at dealing with people, and this was a pretty big invasion of his personal space. Somewhat awkwardly wiggling himself free, he looked down at Juni. “What does that mean? And, what kind of alien is he?”

Juni gave an even prouder smile, pacing back and forth in a dramatic fashion. “Juni is part of Nopon species! Big importance on Mira, yes yes Fair-Fair! Nopon travel in all kinds of caravans across planet with big important mission: profit!”

Farris’s face fell from somewhat charmed to utterly...blank. “Profit…?”

Zin’cord jumped in before Juni could continue. “Nopon are mostly merchants. The caravans would trade with each other, but thanks to the arrival of NLA, and the humans opening the doors for a multitude of xeno species on this planet, many Nopon shops have been established in the cities, and even bigger trade routes are being created. They’re something of a greedy group, but Juni makes them tame by comparison. That’s why you joined BLADE in the first place, am I correct?”

Juni stopped his pacing, winking at the duo and snapping his wing...fingertips? Wingtips. “Juni guilty as charged! If Nopon want to be recognized amongst his peers, then need big bucks! BLADE have missions that offer huge payout, so Juni join BLADE! Best way to get name around!”

Zin’cord let out an annoyed sigh, taking Farris’s hand. “Let us not waste our time. Inside.” He pulled Farris along; the boy had no clue what to make of any of this aside from the fact that his new acquaintances certainly seemed like...interesting people. He might even say that he liked them, oddly enough.

Good thing he did, because it seemed that Juni would be sticking around, given the fact he was following the duo into the barracks.

* * *

The inside of the barracks was very metallic. Cold, too. Farris found himself freeing his hand from the Orphean’s in order to hug himself in an attempt to keep warm. Zin’cord led him (and the uninvited Nopon) into the lounge area, offering Farris a seat, who gladly took it. He was exhausted from all the walking, considering the fact he only just woke up from a who-knows-how-long nap.

Zin’cord glanced towards the boy to confirm he was secure, giving a single nod when he concluded that he was. “I’ll be heading off to find someone that you’ll want to meet. I won’t be more than a few minutes.” Without even waiting for Farris to respond, he made his way out, leaving just the young man with Juni, who made himself comfortable in a chair next to him.

  
Farris gave a small smile, along with a wave. “It’s nice again to meet you. So, um, what do you do here at BLADE anyway?”

Juni was silent for a bit. Longer than what Farris was comfortable with, to the brink of it being a literal minute or so of silence, and he couldn’t tell what the Nopon’s face was saying to him. Before he asked what was wrong, Juni replied.

“Juni have no clue. Only been BLADEpon for few days, but no missions. No one want to work with Juni!” The Nopon clearly seemed annoyed, which caught Farris off guard for a split second.

“But, why? You seem friendly enough-” Farris stopped talking right there. He...had an inkling as to why Juni had no comrades, but should he speak it? It seemed...mean to say.

Juni let out a sigh, slumping in his seat and facing away from Farris. “Juni have...bit of reputation about reason for joining BLADE.”

Yep, that’s what Farris was thinking. Seems his suspicion was right after all.

“Others think Juni will mooch off their hard work and take reward for self. But Juni wouldn’t do that. Nopon always work hard for earnings, never piggyback off others, and those that do aren’t true Nopon merchants!”

He stood up now, a fire in his eyes. “Juni will work hard for his pay, and be known among other merchants as wealthiest Nopon around! Juni just need chance to join team.”

Farris tilted his head to the side, curious. “Teams? Could you elaborate on that?”

“I think I can explain the specifics a bit more thoroughly.”

Both turned towards the entrance to see Zin’cord coming in along with a human man. He seemed to be of Japanese descent, wearing a black suit and having a scar from the left side of his chin over his bottom lip.   


Juni was first to greet the two, bouncing excitedly in his chair. “Nagi! Juni have request for team-”

The man, now known as Nagi, raised his hand to silence the Nopon. “Full of energy as always, Juni. Actually, that’s half the reason I’ve arrived here. The other half, Zin’cord brought to my attention.” His gaze turned to Farris, approaching the young man and offering a handshake.

“My name is Kentaro Nagi, Secretary of Defense here at NLA. You’re Farris, yes? Zin’cord informed me of your situation.”

  
Farris stood up from his seat, shaking Nagi’s hand somewhat meekly. He was nervous, clearly. Was this the someone Zin’cord mentioned earlier? The person he thought Farris should meet? The words left him before his mind realized it.

“I-I’m sorry, but what exactly is going on here?” He removed his hand from Nagi’s and looked between him and Zin’cord with a frown on his face.

  
The Orphean was the first to reply. “I suppose I should lay my intentions bare; Farris, I would like you to join BLADE in order to form a team with me and…”

He paused, side-eyeing Juni before letting a defeated sigh escape him. “And Juni. Thus, I briefly informed Nagi of my rescue of you, as well as the history you relayed unto me. Seeing as you have some form of combat experience, it would only be a matter of time before you’re trained to the same level of technique a BLADE can achieve.”

Farris was...stunned, for lack of a better term. He had absolutely no idea how to react to the bombshell brought down on him.

He was snapped out of his stupor by the cheering Nopon next to him, literally jumping around the lounge area of the room.

  
“Yes, yes, YES!! This is big moment that Juni has been waiting for! Can finally start taking on bigger missions! And that means bigger reward! When does Team Juni set out? Can it be now!? Right now!?!?”

A strong clearing of someone’s throat immediately directed everyone’s attention to the culprit, Nagi, who could only shake his head at Juni’s shameless display.

“Nothing has been set in stone. This is all purely a proposal, and it’s up to Farris whether or not he decides to agree.”

He took a seat across from the boy in question, continuing on. “If I’m to be completely honest with you, BLADE’s main mission has already been completed. We’ve recovered the lost structure known as the Lifehold, as well as put an end to the leader of the race that caused humanity so much torment: the Ganglion. However, our work is only just now beginning. Problems among the citizens of New Los Angeles have arisen, we still need resources to live comfortably on this planet, and there’s still the threat of Ganglion stragglers as well as dangerous indigens that are too close for comfort. With Team Elma, the ones possible for the Ganglion’s defeat and the Lifehold’s recovery, occupied with securing the Lifehold and doing what they can to maintain its condition, BLADE is somewhat spread thin. We could use any assistance, so if you’re willing to provide your cooperation, I’m positive you’d be a big help. I know two people who would certainly appreciate your joining BLADE.”

He glanced towards both Zin’cord and Juni, the latter practically beaming with anticipation while the former was staring with expectancy, before turning his attention back to Farris.   


“So, will you help us in making sure humanity continues to strive?”

It was...a lot to take in, to say the least. Within the span of an hour or so, Farris was on an alien planet, surrounded by different xeno species, and was now being asked to join an organization whose sole purpose was humanity’s continued survival.

But, what could he do? He was barely an adult- hell, no, 18 might as well not even classify as an adult in all honesty. He had a bit of combat training, but he was positive he wouldn’t hold his own against the indigens on this planet, or the Ganglion stragglers. In fact, he’d rather not fight anything in general.

Even so...with this position, he felt like he could finally earn his keep, prove he wasn’t just someone who wormed his way onto the ship because his family had the money to do so. He could do some real good by helping out the citizens of NLA with their problems. He always was one to help out those he cared about, and this was no different. After all, if he didn’t join, he’d be letting down Zin’cord, who saved his life, and Juni, who had a dream to achieve (even if it wasn’t exactly the noblest of goals).

He took a deep breath, in, then out, before looking Nagi in the eyes and giving his answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys already know Farris accepted the offer. The boy hates disappointing others after all .w.
> 
> And woo, we got our trio together! But don't think these are the only main characters i have planned, oh no, there's more to come, as well as plenty of side characters, both canon and original, and even some rivals. I'm going all in with this, but one chapter at a time .w.
> 
> Once again, thanks so much for checking this piece of mine out, it really means a lot to me that anyone has interest in this, even if it's just one person. I hope you guys will enjoy the next chapter too. It's definitely a long one, and still more introductory stuff, but just hold out a bit longer and we'll get into more action/adventure type antics soon enough .w.
> 
> Kudos and comments are welcome, as always, and any constructive criticism as well!
> 
> Alrighty, see y'all next week!


	3. New in NLA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my schedule changed and i had to work today so this is going up at like 4 in the afternoon, oops
> 
> This is a lengthy one too when it didn't need to be but i like being detailed. Hope you all enjoy, we're almost done with all the introductory shite .w.

The next few days were quite eventful for Farris, who had ultimately decided to join BLADE in order to help out his two new friends form their own team, as well as to earn his keep as one of the lucky few who boarded the White Whale in the first place.

Starting on day 1, upon his decision to join, Farris was given the general rundown on how things would operate, from the different kinds of missions he should come to expect, the FrontierNav system, and divisions.

The boy inclined his head to the side, raising an eyebrow curiously. “Divisions?”

Zin’cord cleared his throat briefly. He, Farris, and Juni, were all present within the barracks’ meeting room, which housed an impressive table filled with all kinds of displays, as well as a display on one of the walls.

“Yes, right, allow me to properly explain. Think of divisions as particular jobs best suited for you. Now, don’t let the choice intimidate you; regardless of the division you pick, how you handle your BLADE duties is largely unrestricted. Not to mention the fact that you can change your division whenever you please, for a fee. Even so, it’s best you pick one tailored to your specific skills, as well as your overall personality. We’ll go by each division in detail-”

Juni interrupted the Orphean right there. “Zinny, Fair-Fair no have time to listen to 8 hour long explanation! Just give low-down!”

The Orphean could feel his eye twitch. Farris could only shuffle awkwardly from where he stood. They weren’t exactly a well oiled machine quite yet. The boy couldn’t help but wonder if they would function as a proper team anytime soon…

Despite the rude interruption, Zin’cord took his comment to heart and gave a single nod. The Nopon had a point, there was a lot for Farris to catch up on, so he should keep his briefings, well, brief.

“Fair enough point. Let’s begin. Firstly, are Curators. Curators are the ones who forge ahead into parts unknown, collecting data on the discoveries they make within the new regions they discover. New materials, new information, but also new kinds of indigens. It’s a risky job, but one quite rewarding for those who strive to discover more about this planet.”

Juni proceeded to butt in, bouncing up and down on the table. “Zinny here is actually a Curator! Just so Fair-Fair knows!”

Farris nodded along as Zin’cord continued.

“Next are the Interceptors. You can think of this division as NLA’s defense. Their main priorities are the protection of NLA from dangerous indigens as well as providing protection for anyone who ventures outside of the city, such as researchers or survey teams. They’re also tasked with the rescue of NLA citizens who left for whatever reason they may have had.

Now for the Harriers. They’re considered to be NLA’s offense. Their top priority is the immediate neutralization of indigens that pose a clear threat to the livelihood of NLA, as well as Ganglion stragglers. With that being said, they aren’t meant to exterminate every indigen they come across, only those that are clearly dangerous, such as Tyrants.”

Farris raised his hand. “Um, question: what’s a tyrant?”

Juni piped in right on the spot. “Oh, oh, let Juni answer this one!! Ok, Fair-Fair, listen reeeaaal good now! Tyrants are extremely dangerous baddies! They’re the monsters that have some big nasty tricks up sleeve that makes them special from other monsters of same kind. Most Tyrants are listed in Nav, so Fair-Fair will know when see one. Actually, some Tyrants might come off as tiny threat in Nav system, but it not called “Tyrant” because it pushover, so always be ready when fighting one!”

Farris nodded his head slowly, more or less understanding Juni’s explanation. He turned his attention back to Zin’cord, who continued on with his summary of the divisions.

“Pathfinders are our next topic. You remember the summary I gave you on how FrontierNav works, correct? It’s mostly the Pathfinders’ job to install the data probes that link to FrontierNav. In a way, they’re similar to Curators in that they travel to locations unknown in order to perform their task. It’s only the task itself that differs.

Let’s discuss Reclaimers next, the division Juni’s in.”

The Nopon stood with pride, but surprisingly enough, didn’t interfere verbally. Zin’cord saw that as his chance to continue on.

“Reclaimers, as the name suggests, are the ones responsible for securing parts of the White Whale that broke off when it entered Mira’s atmosphere. The search for the Lifehold is also on the Reclaimers for the most part, though that task is now completed. However, they’re also responsible for securing anything left behind from battles other BLADE members have fought in: gear, weaponry, even personal items. Morbid, but necessary, I’m afraid.”

He stroked at one of his antennae in thought, pausing briefly to gather his thoughts together before continuing on.

“Outfitters are next, the division I used to be part of. Outfitters directly support the arms manufacturers, or AMs, by seeking out anything that may inspire new weapon or armor ideas, as well as test out new prototypes. This also applies to Skell armor and weaponry, but seeing as we’re a new team, that isn’t something we’ll have the luxury of experiencing anytime soon.

Only two more left to explain, so let’s talk about Prospectors. Similar to Curators and Pathfinders, Prospectors travel around Mira, sometimes into parts unknown, in order to search for materials that NLA can use to secure their future. From what I understand, the humans brought what essentials they could from Earth, but that supply is limited. Prospectors ensure that fresh water sources can be found, Mira’s natural materials can be used to build and replace many of your Earthling materials, and in general, helping humanity gather its bearings.

Lastly, are the Mediators. Remember how Nagi mentioned that problems among NLA citizens have been rising? Mediators are the ones to handle such issues. Any issue the citizens have, be it an argument or a lost item, it’s the Mediators’ prerogative to resolve it.

Farris, you joined BLADE because you wanted to help others, correct? In my opinion, I believe the Mediator division would fit you best.”

Juni jumped in, nodding his head. “Juni agree! After all, Fair-Fair already good at being Mediator! You helped out Zinny and Juni to create team, which made us suuuper happy! Juni think Fair-Fair can make other people just as happy.”

Farris couldn’t deny that was the reason he joined BLADE to begin with. While in truth, he did have a sense of adventure and wanted to see what this new world had to offer, the dangers and his overall lack of combat experience practically ensured his early demise. But helping out other people within the safety of NLA’s walls while he got the proper training he needed? It was a no-brainer for him.

“Well, you both definitely make a good point… Yeah, you guys are right, I think Mediator is the one for me!”

With the decision made, the rest of the day was filled with Zin’cord passing the info along to Nagi, who worked on finalizing Farris’s registration as an NLA citizen and official BLADE. As that was being worked on, Farris was given a small tour of the administrative district, seeing as that was where he would be spending most of his time now.

The main highlights from this tour was the BLADE Concourse, aka Mission Control, where he would get most, if not all, of his assignments from, as well as being introduced to Eleonora. Afterwards, he was shown the Scout Console, where he could file out his own request for help in a mission (though Juni assured him that with the famous “BLADEpon” on his team, he wouldn’t ever need to use it). Then there was Armory Alley, which was self-explanatory: this would be where he purchased his gear from, though they decided to skip out on shopping for the day to focus solely on the tour. And lastly, was BLADE Tower, where all of the higher-ups in BLADE resided; Zin’cord mentioned that Farris would really only come here should the team finish any key assignments.

With the tour over, Zin’cord decided that would be the best place to end things for the day, and the trio spent the rest of the evening at the barracks.

* * *

The next day, with all the specifics of the administrative district out of the way, Farris was now given a tour of the entirety of NLA. The group had a bit of a late start though; Farris was more exhausted than he realized and ended up sleeping in until past noon, even with Zin’cord and Juni attempting to get him out of bed. It was understandable, though, considering he had just awoken from stasis on an alien planet and made a life-changing decision all in one day. That would be enough to burn out anyone.

Once he was finally up, the group rented one of the many flying transports scattered throughout the city, and took to the skies.

While they got most of the details of the administrative district out of the way, Zin’cord informed Farris that there was actually a lower level that dealt with Skell maintenance. He also mentioned the fact that the government was also housed in the administrative district, performing many of their duties within BLADE Tower.

It was in the air that Farris noticed the ginormous spaceship housed along the top rim of NLA, and upon asking about what that was about, Zin’cord simply replied with “you’ll see”.

The group’s first destination was the residential district, landing the transport in an open grassy area off to the side before stepping out for a more in-depth tour.

It was akin to a giant suburban neighborhood. There were houses situated everywhere, a giant open park, even some sports facilities, and finally, a cathedral. It was a pretty peaceful area, and Farris couldn’t help but to have a homely feel here.

“With BLADE’s big goal done, BLADEs have more free time! So, if Fair-Fair sick of living in barracks, he can purchase home here when have enough money!” Juni had suddenly piped up during the group’s leisurely stroll around the park.

Farris raised an eyebrow, confused. “Wait, didn’t Secretary Nagi say that BLADE was actually spread thin because of that one team being preoccupied with the Lifehold?”

Zin’cord stroke at one of his antennae, looking a bit annoyed. “Despite how he comes off, Nagi can be somewhat...mischievous, in a sense. He certainly isn’t above stretching the truth a bit if it means benefitting from it, or perhaps guilt-tripping on one occasion I’m aware of. Though the benefit is scarcely for himself, in this situation. If anything, I believe he may have been doing so for all of our sakes.”

Farris blinked a few times in surprise. He never suspected Nagi to have that kind of side to him. He should feel offended or taken advantage of, but he honestly felt relieved that Nagi was human just like everyone else and not some no-nonsense stickler in a suit only. And, if it was for their sake like Zin’cord said, well, how could he be upset at that?

Once the group had their fill of the residential district, they took off for their next destination, the commercial district, landing the transporter at the end of an unfinished road before stepping out.

Right away, Farris could tell this area was something akin to a “downtown” of sorts. There were businesses everywhere, from fast food joints to clothing stores, kiosks, jewelry places, and everything else in-between. It was here that Farris also got a closer look at more of the residents NLA inhabited: humans, Orphean, Nopon, Ma-non, Zaruboggan, Wrothian (who Farris really seemed to have taken a liking to), and Prone.

“Prone actually make up majority of Ganglion forces, but Team Elma found out about blue Prone and got them to join our side! These Prone good guys!” Juni piped up once again as the group stopped by a smoothie place at Farris’s request.

Farris looked surprised at this revelation. “Really? Well whaddya know… So I guess that means the other Prone that aren’t on our side are a different color?”

Zin’cord jumped in this time. “Precisely. The blue Prone are part of Tree Clan, while the Ganglion Prone are part of Cavern Clan. I’d be happy to explain more whenever we have the time, if you’re interested. I’ve also noticed you seem fond of the Wrothian.”

Farris was beaming now. “Yeah, yeah! They’re like big cats! I’m a big fan of animals, they’re just so cute! Would uh...would they be upset if I asked to pet them?”

Zin’cord sighed, taking Farris by the hand. “Most likely. Now, let’s go on to the next district.” He dragged the boy along, who had a pout on his face. Juni, of course, followed closely behind with two smoothies in tow.

The last district the group visited was the industrial district. The name was self-explanatory: food production, Skell development, construction and development of NLA, all things industry related. It was a relatively small district, so the group didn’t bother landing, but Zin’cord did of course have some notable information to share.

“The industry district is actually where Outfitters conduct many of their tests related to new weaponry. It’s also where the West Gate is located, so we’ll be passing through there relatively often depending on the missions we take. That’s about it for the districts; only one more place left to visit.”

The transporter started gaining altitude, rising higher and higher, and Farris realized the next destination was the giant ship parked right above the industrial district. In all honesty, he was really excited; it was a chance to see a legitimate alien spaceship!

Landing right on the deck, in front of what Zin’cord explained was a teleporter that led back to BLADE Tower, the group exited the transporter and began their final tour. While the commercial district did house a variety of different species other than humans, it was here that Farris saw only those alien species with just a few humans here and there. It was weird, but an interesting kind of weird!

The group took in the different parts of the ship, going from the Starboard portion to the Port Side and simply taking in the structure and alien tech this place had to offer. Farris was sure Zin’cord could explain more about it, but he’ll have to save those questions for later. It was starting to get late, and he didn’t want to prolong the tour. Another time though.

With the tour of NLA done, the group turned it in once they arrived back at the barracks. Farris had one last thing he needed to tackle before he was up to speed, and he’d need all his energy to go through with it. With that said, everyone got an early night’s sleep for what would come tomorrow.

* * *

Day 3 started rather early, with Zin’cord bringing Farris and Juni to Armory Alley, explaining what the group’s final agenda was.

“Now that you’re situated and understand how NLA works a bit better, it’s time for the most important aspect you need to learn as a BLADE: combat. Today, you’ll purchase your gear and weapons, and we’ll begin training at the Outfitters Test Hangar in the industrial district, which i’ve rented out for the day.”

Farris was quick to point out one issue with that plan. “Um, Zin’cord? I don’t have any mon-”

“Take out your comm device.”

Farris was immediately cut off by Zin’cord’s request, but did as he was told. The Orphean took his own out, doing...something on it. Within a few seconds, he pocketed his back and gave a single nod.

“I’ve wired you half of my total funds. Do with it what you will.”

Farris wasn’t sure he heard correctly and did a quick check of his comm device to see what credits he had.

Oh.

Oh, that’s…

That’s a LOT of credits.

“Z-Zin’cord, I can’t take all of this! Do you know how much you just sent me!?”

Zin’cord gave a look akin to one raising their eyebrow. “Yes, I sent over a total of 5,000,000 credits. I garnered plenty of currency during my time working as an Outfitter, and seeing as I have no real need to buy anything for myself, it all simply accumulated over time. I’m already equipped with my preferred gear, so I can afford to part with this much. Think nothing of this, I’m simply helping out my teammate.”

Juni shuffled over to the Orphean, looking at him expectantly. “Hey, hey, Zinny! Juni needs new gear too! Any chance Zinny could help out his favorite BLADE?”

Zin’cord glanced over to the Nopon, arms crossed. “I believe I’ve already helped out Farris. I don’t recall having another favorite.”

The Nopon grumbled under his breath while Farris made his way to the shop terminal. “Ok, so, how does this thing work? I don’t see a shop keep or anything.”

Juni immediately sprung to action, hopping over to Farris’s side. “Oh, oh, this easy! So Fair-Fair need to power on terminal. Then holo-display come on, and Fair-Fair simply look through list of gear and weapons and select what want! When done, use comm thingy to transfer money, and items get teleported out side of terminal!”

Zin’cord nodded. “Since all of the gear is handled by the AMs, we figured that this teleportation method would be an efficient procedure as opposed to having a shop keep here with limited supplies. It ensures that there’s no need to wait for a restock; BLADEs work during any time of day, after all.”

Farris nodded in understanding, looking over his options. It turned out to be an easier process than he thought it’d be: picking out his weapon was an easy choice considering there was only one he knew how to use, and with some filter options, his preferred gear ended up being just what he was looking for in terms of functionality as well as design. One credit transfer later, and out the side of the terminal came a spiral of energy that materialized into a metallic rectangular box. The process amazed Farris to no end; there definitely wasn’t anything like that back on Earth or the White Whale.

Taking the box in hand, he turned towards his teammates, looking inside briefly to confirm everything was there before closing it. “Alright, got it all! So, are we heading out?”

Zin’cord gave a nod. “Right after you change. Me and Juni will wait by the transporter.”

With that said, everyone went off, Farris heading back to the barracks, and the xeno duo to the transporter. It’d only be a few minutes later when Farris caught up to the two, now sporting his brand new BLADE gear: the Valor series top along with a matching earpiece and the Forza series bottoms. He still wore his scarf over it, and of course his glasses as well. And situated on his back was his very own weapon: the Chromoly Spear.

“So, uh, how’s this look?”

Juni looked in awe, giving a few claps with his wings. “Fair-Fair look very soldier-y! Juni approve!”

Zin’cord seemed pleased. “Yes, it suits you quite well. The scarf is also a nice touch. And I see you wield a spear, hm? Well, let’s hurry to our destination.”

With a nod from the other two, everyone boarded the transporter and made their way to the industrial district once again.

It was only a few minutes of walking through the district before the group arrived at the Outfitters Test Hangar. It was a large and empty room currently, perfect for testing all kinds of weaponry and, in this case, training. Off to the side by the entrance were two other weapons, a sword and two drones, which Juni and Zin’cord picked up respectively. The Orphean turned towards Farris, starting to explain.

“I had planned for this since the first day. While you slept the morning away, I took the opportunity to rent out this hangar for our group, as well as stashed mine and Juni's weapons here just to save on a bit more time. As you see, Juni here uses a type of longsword known as the Chromoly Slair, while I use a pair of psycho launchers known as the Ophidian Zorcyses, which I’ve made a few personal tweaks to.”

Farris tilted his head slightly to the side, a bit confused at the latter weapon. “Psycho Launchers?”

Zin’cord nodded. “They’re a pair of drones that link to the user’s mind. With a single thought, you can fire an array of bullets, maneuver their positions, use an Art, et cetera. The main drawback is they can’t stray too far from the user, otherwise the mental link will be severed and they’ll enter standby mode.”

Farris looked more confused during the explanation. “What’s an Art?”

Oh boy. This would take some time. How best to simplify things so they could get a move on…

“Oh, oh, Juni got this one!”

Hm… Yeah, that would be efficient, even if Juni’s explanations were a bit...crude.

“Ok, so, Art is like special attack anyone can do, even indigens. It has something to do with ether flowing through planet Mira. But what ether, Fair-Fair might be wondering? Ether is special energy that’s eeeeeverywhere! It’s cause of ether that Arts are possible, and also thanks to ether that bodies are more tough.”

Zin’cord decided to interject here. “Farris, as I’m sure you’re aware, your body isn’t natural. It’s a mimeosome, but it’s a near perfect replica of the human body. It was also designed to be more resilient; you’re able to run faster, jump higher, and withstand drops from the greatest of heights. Your mim, like everything else on this planet, is also able to process ether flow in order to form and create Arts, so it’s important that you learn to not only take advantage of your physical enhancements, but your Arts as well.”

Juni cut back in, nodding along. “And as Juni said earlier, ether helped to make everyone’s bodies stronger! So can get sliced by sharpest sword ever and maybe only get scratch instead of diced in two! Even applies to Juni and Zinny, though not to extent that Fair-Fair can handle, so we gotta be super extra careful.”

Zin’cord interjected once more. “That’s where I come in, however. See, Arts aren’t just attacks; they can be used as support, or for weakening the foe, as defense, and anything else in-between. The process of learning an Art is something you’ll learn on instinct. So, for training today, we’ll drill in the basics, then do a sparring match. I’m sure by the end, you’ll have learned an Art, or perhaps even a few. Once you accomplish that, we’ll begin heading out on missions tomorrow.”

Once again, Farris was at a loss for words. The only thing he really had a full grasp on was the fact that his body was artificial, something he was made aware of when on the White Whale. Arts and ether, it was a lot to take in, but he felt like he was getting a grasp of the concept. Juni’s explanation covered the gist of it, and Zin’cord helped to fill in some of the blanks. It made processing all of this world’s alien concepts easier, that much was for certain.

With a sharp inhale, the boy gave a determined nod. “Alright, let’s start.”

* * *

The basic drills were done first, with Zin’cord coaching both Juni and Farris. Surprisingly enough, it went by without a hitch. Farris remembered drilling similar sets of techniques on the White Whale, and Juni was able to keep up surprisingly well. With that done, Zin’cord had Farris and Juni stand on one end of the field while he stood on the other end. With a subtle nod of his head, his psycho launchers activated, floating beside him. Being of an Orphean model, they seemed quite alien compared to the weaponry Farris was used to seeing since, well, they  _ were _ alien. No time to focus on that, however; Zin’cord began speaking.

“Now that you’re both warmed up, it’s time for the sparring match. The rules are simple: you just have to hit me once. Do that, and we can consider the training session officially over.”

Farris looked mortified, quickly raising his hand. “U-um, Zin’cord, usually I trust that you know what you’re doing, but you could die, right?”

Zin’cord simply shook his head in response. “I’ll be using Arts to keep myself protected. I take every precaution into account, so you needn’t worry over my well-being, understood? Besides, hitting me will not be an easy task, thanks to my Ovah.”

A frown burrowed itself on Farris’s face. The confusion continues on; even Juni looked stumped when the Nopon usually seemed to be in the know about these types of things. “Juni confused. What is Ovah?”

Zin’cord stroked one of his antennae, humming in thought.

“Hm… How to describe this… The Ovah is something unique to Orpheans. It’s a supposed sacred being that lives within every single Orphean, and is pivotal to our survival. The Ovah gives us Orphean what you would describe as a “gut feeling”, or perhaps a sixth sense. Whenever we sense danger, our Ovah alerts us. We feel this sense of unease and dread. It’s something the Orphe as a whole worship, respect, and revere. But, while others use it to avoid danger, I use it for combat. See, my Ovah works a bit different than others; it’s much more pronounced in pinpointing danger. If one of you were to attack me from behind, for instance, I would be immediately notified, and can respond accordingly. This pairs well with my psycho launchers which, as you might recall, are linked to the user’s mind.”

Farris’s eyes widened, taking a step back. Zin’cord seemed like the typical researcher type, but who would’ve thought he’d have such a helpful ability at his disposal?

“It’d be like fighting three separate people that can sense any attack from anywhere… I underestimated how hard this would be. Juni, we’ll have to coordinate our strikes if we’re gonna pass.”

The Nopon nodded, readying his sword, with the metal belt on it starting to spin rapidly. “Got it, Fair-Fair! Just follow BLADEpon’s lead and we’ll win, easy-peasy!”

Farris nodded back, readying his spear, though Zin’cord could only shake his head.

“Don’t think something direct will work against me. Though, as a precaution, I will use an Art to ensure that your attacks won’t cause any serious damage should they land. Now, activating Ovah Barrier.”

The glowing orbs within Zin’cord’s psycho launchers turned from white to green, spinning around the Orphean rapidly. A green field of energy was created on the ground, briefly surrounding Zin’cord before dissipating into thin air. The orbs in the psycho launchers also returned back to their original white color.

“That was an example of an Art, Farris. With Ovah Barrier, I can give myself, or whomever I target, a protective shield. As I stated earlier, I take every precaution into account. Now, shall we begin?”

Farris was impressed. Zin’cord really did think this whole thing through. At least now, he won’t have to worry about hurting him. That was good, that meant he could focus.

Glancing over to Juni and seeing that he was ready to go, Farris glanced back towards Zin’cord and gave a nod of affirmation.

Zin’cord took on a defensive stance in response, exhaling sharply.

“Then let us begin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what if i told you guys i don't know how to write fight scenes? Cause i don't
> 
> Why do i do this to myself? .w.
> 
> And confession, these three chapters have been written beforehand already so i could post them on time, but i have yet to write chapter 4 yet. Here's hoping i can get that done before next week and that you guys don't judge my crappy fight scene
> 
> Anyways! I hope you all enjoyed reading this. Leave a kudos and comment if you can, it helps motivate me knowing people actually care about this garbage XD
> 
> Alrighty, see y'all next week!


	4. An Ovah's Power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JNCFJIVNIJDNFJF I AM VERY SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG
> 
> Oh, right, first off, happy new year everyone! And second off, I didn't mean for this to take so long, but sometimes it really is just a struggle for me to sit down and make myself write.
> 
> It doesn't help this whole chapter is just one big fight scene, which i have very little experience writing so oof, that didn't help me get any more motivated.
> 
> BUT, i got it done! Sorry if it's not that good but hopefully as i continue on, i'll get better at writing action-type scenes like this more.
> 
> With that said, i hope you all enjoy .w.

With the word given to start, Juni wasted no time rushing ahead for the Orphean, sword at the ready. Needless to say, Farris was caught off guard by Juni’s initiative. Direct attacks wouldn’t work, they had to coordinate something together!

“Juni, wait! We oughta think of a plan!”

“Fair-Fair worry too much! Just gotta strike at same time! C’mon!”

With a battle cry, the Nopon jumped into the air, bringing his sword down, but Zin’cord dodged effortlessly. Juni wasn’t finished yet, swiping at Zin’cord back-to-back, only to hit nothing but air as the Orphean avoided each attack with minimal effort.

“Your technique is sloppy. There’s no thought put behind your strikes. Consider each follow-up attack carefully, though it’s not like that will help you out in the end. You can’t do this by yourself after all-”

A pause. Zin’cord felt this overwhelming sense of dread. A warning. It was coming, fast. Faster. From behind!?

He turned around quickly, using one of his psycho launchers to intercept the attack that came from Farris, stopping his spear in its tracks as a clash rang through the air. Zin’cord was wide-eyed; how did this boy manage to maneuver behind him so quickly?

Another sense of dread enveloped him; right, the Nopon. The second psycho launcher stopped Juni’s sword strike cold with another clash. Zin’cord had the two caught in a stalemate.

“I must admit, you both caught me off guard, if only briefly. Farris, you’re very quick on your feet, it seems. And Juni, you’re good at holding one’s attention, given how annoying you are. Seems I may have to go on the offensive instead of focusing solely on defense, though...”

The psycho launchers pushed the two away from Zin’cord before returning to the Orphean’s side, leaving his spoken thought unfinished. Seeing as he made no motion to attack, Farris and Juni decided to take the initiative again instead. A swipe from one side, a swipe from the other. It was a barrage of attacks that came from the boy and Nopon, and each time, they were either dodged or blocked by one of the psycho launchers.

With a click of his tongue in frustration, Farris jumped back, with Juni joining him. Both were panting slightly, starting to get out of breath from their short barrage. Nothing was working. They needed an Art if they were going to land a hit.

Zin’cord stroked at an antennae, humming in thought. The two of them weren’t necessarily doing a bad job, but neither have learned an Art yet. At this rate, they’ll just run out of steam.

Perhaps they simply needed some more...incentive.

“This isn’t getting the two of you anywhere. I think it’s time to try a different approach.”

The psycho launchers were launched forward, flying overhead Farris and Juni and circling around the two. The white orb within them turned a bluish-purple color, and it seemed like an energy was starting to gather. The two had frowns on their faces, not entirely sure what to expect.

“Meh-meh, what Zinny doing…?”

“This doesn’t look good…”

The Orphean had his arms crossed, speaking with a bit of edge to his tone.

“You two are about to learn firsthand how detrimental Arts are. It seems this lesson will be more effective through example, so I suggest you start guarding or running. Now, Stellar Ray.”

A sound of a laser fire rang through the air, and the next thing Farris knew, he was on the ground, clutching his shoulder where one of the psycho launchers struck him. He hissed out in pain, eyes clenched shut and having dropped his spear. It stung, a lot, but the attack didn’t bore through him like he expected it to. As quickly as it came, it started to subside. Was that the effect of the ether in the atmosphere, or his mim’s capabilities? Or perhaps both?

The sound of his Nopon partner shrieking snapped him out of his stupor, glancing over to see Juni doing what he could to block the short onslaught one of the launchers was unleashing onto him. He managed to deflect a couple of the shots with his sword, but the majority were able to land true onto him.

Farris had no time to worry about Juni though; the second launcher began its own assault against the boy. Hearing the sound of more laser fire ringing out, he quickly got to his feet and grabbed his spear before doing everything he could to dodge the fire. It was crazy to think about on paper. A human dodging gunfire? If this was back on Earth, there’d be no way, but he wasn’t on Earth anymore. This was Mira, where ether permeated the air and augmented everyone’s own natural abilities. Farris was faster here. He could actually avoid the fire so long as he was perceptive enough, and what he couldn’t dodge, he could at least block with his spear.

He knew he could do this, but with his lack of experience, he was sloppy. A few stray shots landed, and with each strike, he only became slower and slower. The onslaught of this Art lasted no more than 10 seconds, but for Farris and Juni, it felt like minutes upon minutes. They were panting harder than before, and though Juni seemed relatively ok despite the attack, Farris had to lean onto his spear to keep from falling over. The boy always was rather frail; he could only take so many hits before he was out.

The launchers returned to Zin’cord’s side, who gave a nod at how the two handled the attack. He was impressed given that they were still new to this endeavor.

“You two did an admirable job. It seems like Juni is better suited for blocking or taking the attacks directly, while Farris is reliant on his speed to dodge. Yes, I have a much better idea on both of your combat styles. However, you still have yet to strike me. It’s time for you both to start trying to learn an Art. Take in the ether in the air, and let your body do the rest. Learning Arts is an instinctual process, after all.”

The psycho launchers began opening fire again, prompting Juni to immediately start blocking while Farris maneuvered away.

This was bad, how were they going to hit him? Their earlier tactic seemed like a good idea, but the psycho launchers made it impossible to hit him. How could they get past them? A way to get them far from Zin’cord?

...Oh!

Farris let out a small gasp, remembering something Zin’cord said earlier. That idea… It could work!

The psycho launchers stopped to recharge, prompting Farris to regroup with Juni and kneel down.

“Juni, I think I know how we can get past Zin’cord’s defense. We have to bait him! He can only sense when an attack is coming for him, but that doesn’t mean he knows what we’ll be aiming for specifically. You have to attack with all you have for this to work. Remember what he said earlier about those weapons?”

It took Juni a second, frowning as he tried racking his brain, but the second it clicked, he gave a big grin and a salute.

“Worry not, Fair-Fair, BLADEpon can do that easy-peasy!”

With a nod, Farris stood back up and wasted no time rushing towards Zin’cord for another barrage of strikes, to which the Orphean merely blocked and dodged each one.

“Whatever your plan is, it won’t go anywhere at this rate. Simple, direct attacks like this are futile, I do hope you realize this. Perhaps another Art is needed to demonstrate my point.”

Farris’s next attack was intercepted by one of the launchers with enough force to knock the boy back a few steps. That was when Zin’cord took the opportunity to prepare his next move; both psycho launchers were on either side of him, the orbs inside once again changing to a bluish-purple color as they let loose a wave of macthing colored energy that caused Zin’cord to float a few inches off the ground.

Farris was able to regain his bearings fast enough to see the now floating Orphean darting right for him, causing his eyes to widen in shock.

“Wh-what the- How’re you-”

He didn’t even get his question out before Zin’cord called out the name of his Art.

“Dual Starlight Kick!”

He made a sweeping motion, launching his foot at Farris, who was able to block with his spear, though the force managed to turn him around. He got his bearings back in time to see Zin’cord going in for a second strike: a seamless front flip thanks to the psycho launchers letting him float, bringing his heel straight down. An axe kick.

Farris brought his spear overhead, holding it horizontally to block it, and while he managed to avert taking the attack head-on, the force brought him down to one knee. He strained and groaned out to keep Zin’cord at bay, and the Orphean wasn’t letting up.

It seemed like Zin’cord’s Art was inevitably going to overpower the boy...until Farris released one of his hands from his spear to grab Zin’cord’s ankle.

“Juni, now!”

Farris shouted out for his partner, who came rushing in after Zin’cord. The Orphean tsked, his Art cancelling and causing his body to hit the ground as normal gravity took over. One of the psycho launchers moved in to block Juni’s attack. The Nopon immediately started spinning around with his sword extended, hitting the launcher once before following it up with a swiping uppercut that sent the drone flying across the room. It was much stronger than a normal attack; it seemed like Juni had just learned a new Art.

Zin’cord didn’t have time to process this; his attention then turned to Farris, who let go of the Orphean’s leg and grabbed the other launcher. He darted away from Zin’cord at a blinding speed, tossing the launcher opposite from where Juni launched the first one.

That was when it clicked in the Orphean’s mind what their plan was. He couldn’t help but grin as he stood back up.

“Now I understand. I wasn’t the target, it was my weapons instead. You sent them far away enough to sever the mental connection.”

He looked to both to see that the launchers were floating idly, currently on standby mode, before continuing on.

“You sent them in opposite directions, with both of you on either side of me to ensure I won’t be getting both of them back. And Juni, you even learned a new Art in the process. I have to admit, I’m impressed. Well done to you both. However, don’t forget, you still have to hit me.”

The last sentence was a reminder rather than ZIn’cord thinking he still had the upper hand. The Orphean knew his evasive skills wouldn’t be enough.

Farris and Juni both nodded, weapons at the ready before they made their move. Farris struck first, the sound of crackling sounding through the air. The blade of his spear was now coated in an stream blue electricity. With a yell, Farris thrust his spear forward, sending the electricity surging forth; the boy finally learned an Art himself. Zin’cord took the attack head-on, grunting out as the transparent barrier he set up earlier took the brunt of the force, though cracks started forming around it.

Juni followed up, letting out a yell of his own as he swung his sword at the Orphean with enough force to send him flying through the air. The barrier shattered as soon as Zin’cord hit the ground.

Despite Zin’cord’s reassurance earlier that he would be fine, Farris couldn’t help but to rush to the Orphean’s side, kneeling down with panic in his eyes.

“Zin’cord, hey, are you alright!?”

Juni seemed less worried. Zin’cord thought things through very thoroughly. Even so, Farris’s panicked state had the Nopon on edge.

“Zinny not hurt too bad, is he?”

Zin’cord simply stood back up with a grunt, rubbing at his arm.

“The weakened barrier didn’t block the entirety of Juni’s follow-up attack. My arm’s in a bit of pain, but I’m fine. I appreciate your concern, both of you. And after your impressive performance, I’d say you both have passed this training session.”

Farris stood back up, his panic now replaced with excitement.

“So, that means we can go on missions and start helping people out?”

Juni jumped in next.

“And start making big bucks!?”

Zin’cord sighed out, shaking his head at Juni’s priorities.

“Yes, to both. We can set out whenever you guys want to, though I will be overseeing what missions we choose from to ensure we do not take on anything too taxing. You both have only learned one Art currently, so we’ll start out with simpler missions. With that being said, I think this would be a good time to dismiss.”

He went to retrieve his psycho launchers, only needing to walk close enough towards them for the link to reconnect. Once they were both at his side, he started making his way out the hangar, but stopped to say one last thing.

“Oh, and congratulations to you both for overcoming this challenge. I’m looking forward to our time together.”

And then he was gone, leaving Farris and Juni with a sense of pride and accomplishment. The Nopon piped up next.

“Well, Juni off to commercial district! Gotta see what current hot item among everyone is! Ooh, Fair-Fair, we’ll have to look out for plenty of materials in Mira! Could turn tidy profit!”

Snickering to himself, the Nopon left, leaving just Farris alone in the hangar.

So much has happened in the past few days for the boy. Waking up on an alien planet, joining an organization to help ensure humanity’s future, and being on a team with two very interesting characters. Zin’cord was smart, prepared, and stayed cool all the time, though he seemed like the cold type when it came to emotions. Juni was always chipper, determined, and had plenty of energy, but he seemed impulsive and who knew how far he might go to satiate his greed?

And Farris himself… He wanted to help others, no matter what, even if it meant fighting or putting his own issues aside. He received a spot on the White Whale; it was only right that he did everything to prove he earned that spot. And with Zin’cord and Juni with him, he knew they could make a real difference!

The boy set his spear onto his back and made his way out the hangar last. His life as a BLADE is finally beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any kind of advice to help make action scenes flow together more, i'd be highly appreciative of it .w.
> 
> And finally, all the introductory stuff is out of the way, so we can start getting into the real meat of things. Buuuut i wanna make the absence between updates up to yall, so the next two chapters won't be anything mission related. You'll see what i mean though!
> 
> And this is just kind of a headcanon, but i imagine learning an Art would probably be like a Pokemon learning a new move in the anime. It just happens .w.
> 
> Oh yeah, and most of the Art the main trio have are all going to be originals of mine, especially Farris. Only one Art he's going to have will be an actual in-game Art, but i won't spoil what it is
> 
> Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Comments and kudos are highly appreciated, it definitely helps my motivation knowing there are people legit excited to see the next chapter of this little thing i'm writing
> 
> With all that said, i'll see you guys for the next one .w.


	5. Learning About Palates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyy i didn't take forever to update like usual!
> 
> This chapter is what i call the first heart-to-heart, yes i'm having heart-to-hearts and writing them out because it's fun filler and a way to learn about some of the characters that i made up. This one focuses on Zin'cord. You can skip if you'd like, nothing substantial happens, but if you're interested to learn a bit more about my OCs, well, i hope you enjoy the read!
> 
> Could this be considered fluff? Most likely .w.

It was later in the day, around noon, when Farris made his way to the BLADE barracks. Seeing as how the sparring session was over, he had no need to be in his BLADE attire or have his weapon on him. With a change of clothes back to his usual attire of a light blue jacket, dark blue t-shirt, and white pants, he was ready to start his day of…

Hm. What  _ did _ he want to do today? Well, something was sure to come up. And as if on cue, that something did come up in the form of Zin’cord, situated in the kitchen area of the barracks. Farris gave a smile and a wave, making his way over.

“Heya Zin’cord, how’s it going?”

The Orphean’s eyes were glued to his comm device, only looking up when Farris greeted him. He seemed to have a small smile on his face.

“Ah, Farris, I was hoping to run into you again today. I was hoping you could help me with something. Have a seat please.”

Farris tilted his head a bit in confusion, but did as he was told, having a seat at the bar table while Zin’cord made his way to the refrigerator to retrieve something.

“You see, Farris, I’m quite interested in studying all manner of life on Mira, which would include humans. I couldn’t help but to notice your kind’s manner of consumption.”

Zin’cord made an “ah!” sound, seemingly finding what he was looking for. He closed the refrigerator door with his leg, hands occupied by the container he was carrying that was wrapped in a cover. Setting the container on the table, he took a seat across from Farris and continued on with his thoughts.

“Humans seem to eat a wide variety of meals, something that seems rather alien to a lot of xenos present here. Tell me, why is it you all have such a wide array of food that you eat?”

This was not where Farris thought this conversation would end up going. Though, he shouldn’t be surprised; he figured Zin’cord was the researcher type based on his initial impression of him. Still, he wasn’t quite sure how to answer. Some humans ate such foods because of its actual nutritional value, and others ate so many different kinds simply because it tasted good.

Which answer would be appropriate for this situation? Farris took a second to think about it before speaking.

“Well, there’s all kinds of different food groups that give nutritional values to humans. We can’t only stick to one group of foods either, we need all of them to help our bodies grow. Though there are some foods that aren’t good for us that we eat anyway.”

This piqued Zin’cord’s attention, antennae now raised up high at this response. “And why consume something that negatively affects your body?”

Farris could only give a sheepish smile. “Because it tastes good, that’s all there is to it.”

The answer seemed satisfactory enough for Zin’cord. He cleared his throat before moving on.

“Ahem, yes, well, thank you for answering my questions. I believe I have a better insight on your kind’s eating habits now… Though, that isn’t enough for me. I wish to try some of your foods and would like you to share with me. A hands-on experience is incredibly valuable to any researcher.”

Farris raised an eyebrow, eyeing the container. “Is that what’s in the container? What is it?”

Zin’cord nodded his head, starting to remove the cover.

“You see, I was in the commercial district a few days ago before I found you, and heard everyone giving high praise to a particular dish that you humans seem really fond of. I could only surmise that it must be incredibly important to your palate, so I bought one to try for myself.”

With the cover off, Farris could now see that this important meal that humans deemed to be so important was in fact…

Ice cream.

The boy sweat dropped at this revelation. Maybe he oughta explain that ice cream wasn’t as important as Zin’cord thought it was. Though the Orphean seemed so ecstatic…

Farris gave a smile instead, looking the container over. “Yep, ice cream is pretty important to humans! It’s got dairy which is good for us, and it tastes really good too. Tasty food is pretty important to us, so you made a good pick, Zin’cord!”

The Orphean had a smile of his own present on his face, taking the time to get two spoons from the drawer as he talked.

“Well, I’m glad my judgement was correct. It’s very reassuring to hear you say that, Farris. I heard that vanilla was a good starting point, so I hope that’s ok with you. So, shall we eat now?”

Farris took the spoon Zin’cord handed him, giving a nod as he took the top off. “Yeah, let’s dig in!”

Farris took the first bite. It was ice cream all right, through and through. Sweet, creamy, and-

“COLD!”

Farris practically jumped out of his seat when Zin’cord fell out of his own, holding his mouth as if he’d been stabbed. The boy was quick to run to Zin’cord’s side, kneeling down now.

“Z-Zin’cord, what’s up!? Are you ok!?”

The Orphean slowly began sitting up, shivering heavily and shaking his head.

“P-Please excuse my r-reaction, Farris. You s-see, I do not handle extreme t-temperatures well at a-all. I-I knew it would be cold, b-but not quite  _ t-that _ cold.”

Farris had a frown. He nearly forgot Zin’cord was a completely different species. Of course he might have his own quirks. He’d have to find a way to accommodate for that; they were friends, after all.

That’s when the boy had an idea, standing up and taking the container before setting it in the microwave. Zin’cord had recovered by this point, standing up himself and curiously inclining his head to the side.

“What are you doing, Farris?”

The boy set the timer for ten seconds, starting the microwave and giving Zin’cord a grin. “Just making a little adjustment so you can enjoy some ice cream.”

The microwave went off, prompting Farris to take the container out and set it back on the table. The ice cream was slightly melted now, causing Zin’cord to make a noise of curiosity.

“What an interesting consistency…”

Farris handed the spoon to Zin’cord, nodding to the container. “It shouldn’t be as cold now, so now you can enjoy it properly. Come on, try it!”

The Orphean seemed skeptical when handed the spoon. Still, Farris did go through the trouble. He wanted to help. He always wanted to help, it seemed.

Zin’cord took another scoop into the spoon before taking a bite. He still shivered, the ice cream itself was still cold, but not shockingly so. It was bearable, so Zin’cord was able to really take in the flavor.

“...It’s sweet. It melts in your mouth and has a consistency that’s different from a liquid like water… I think I could get used to this. Well, so long as it’s not too cold. And this is only one small part of the different kinds of foods humans consume. Farris, I must thank you for sharing this moment with me. I feel like I’ve learned a lot about your kind.”

Farris couldn’t help the big smile that became present on his face, giving a nod.

“I’m happy to help out! If you want, we can take a day trying out all kinds of different foods. I’ve got a few options that you might enjoy. I hear Orphean all eat vegetables mostly, so you might like something like a salad most- Oh, but I’m jumping ahead. You must be busy, and we have BLADE work. Still, on our next day off, let’s do that!”

What was this strange feeling Zin’cord was feeling? It was warm and fuzzy. Was this what it was like to have a friend that cared for him to the point of indulging in his research? It was strange. But a good strange. He didn’t even realize the smile on his own face as he put the ice cream back in the fridge.

“I would very much enjoy that. Well, thank you for indulging me for today. I have other matters I must attend to, so I’ll be off in the industrial district.”

With a nod, the Orphean made his way out the barracks. Farris couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but he felt that, somehow, he and Zin’cord grew just a little closer from that.

Seeing as there was plenty of daylight left, Farris decided to head for the commercial district next to see what Juni was up to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a lotta fun to write and it was just generally adorable aaaaaa
> 
> As the last sentence hinted, the next chapter will be Juni's first heart-to-heart! I have a rough idea of how i want it to go so hopefully i can get it out relatively soon too. I will say that updates are gonna be a bit hodgepodgey just because my writing motivation tends to fluctuate, so if you're interested to see more, comments and kudos are the big ways to motivate me! It really helps me get into the writing mood knowing people care and are excited to see what happens next .w.
> 
> With that said, i'll see you guys in the next update!


	6. Business Sense

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have Juni's heart-to-heart! Not much to say about this one other than i intended for it to come out earlier buuuut i got lazy, oops.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this Nopon's antics .w.

With his interaction with Zin’cord now over, and curious as to what his Nopon friend was doing, Farris made his way to the commercial district. He arrived within minutes thanks to the transport and the help of a fellow BLADE who piloted the craft for him. The boy forgot just how big this district was, and with how many people were present, finding Juni would be no easy feat.

Seeing as that was the case, he decided to take a leisurely stroll throughout the area, stopping by a couple of snack vendors along the way. It was about an hour later when he found himself in the northeastern part of the district, where one of the parking areas seemed particularly crowded, like someone was giving a presentation. Curiosity got the better of him, so Farris quickly finished the crepe he was eating to see what was up.

He...wasn’t sure what to make of the scene before him. It was Juni, standing atop a platform with a device in hand. With Farris towards the back of the crowd, he had to squint a bit to see that it was a cell phone. That was...odd, to say the least. And listening to Juni’s speech didn’t help him get what was going on either.

“Yes, yes, that’s right folks! What Juni have here is genuine Earth technology! Humans used these yeeeaars ago back on home planet! It’s a treasure trove, and worth plenty of money! And Juni ready to sell it for very modest price of, oh, let’s start bid at generous 10,000 credits!”

The resulting murmurs among everyone seemed to indicate that the price seemed just a bit steep. Someone eventually chimed in, a Wrothian it seemed. Now that Farris took a closer look, there were no humans among the crowd at all, only xenos.

“And what exactly does this device do?”

The look of someone who’d just been called out with no way to defend themselves was more than evident on Juni’s face.

“A-ah, yes, well, see, this device is, ah… A-ah! Just in time!”

Farris didn’t like how Juni locked eyes with him as he said that.

“S-see, friends, Juni could explain, but Juni brought special human guest along to really drive home the capabilities of device!”

Farris  _ really  _ didn’t like where this was going now.

“Introducing Juni’s trusted business partner, Fair-Fair! Come on up, Fair-Fair!!”

All eyes were locked on Farris at that moment, and he had half a mind to immediately turn away. Farris wasn’t good with crowds. Having so many eyes on him all at once made him incredibly anxious. He wanted to run but...Juni really had driven himself into a corner. Would it be right to abandon his teammate in his time of need?

With a sharp exhale, Farris made his way to the front of the crowd, turning to everyone and giving a sheepish smile.

“H-hello there everybody, and thanks for coming to this little event. R-right, Juni, if you c-could hand me the device please?”

Juni was more than happy to let Farris take over now, putting the cell phone right in his hands. The appreciative look the Nopon gave was enough for Farris to push through. But how should he go about presenting this? Looking over the phone, it seemed like an old model, maybe about 30 years old. A standard smartphone with nothing too special about it. There’s no way it would work here without cell phone towers. Was there internet on Mira? Doubtful. Did this thing even turn on? Nope. There probably wasn’t a charger for it either.

Where did Juni even get this from? Well, that wasn’t important now. What mattered was how he was going to sell this thing. He could fess up, explain that the device was worthless now. But he could also advertise it as a long lost relic from a now terminated planet. What would be the best course of action here? Farris took a second to mull over his options before speaking.

“Right, well, t-this device is called a cell phone! It was one of the m-most used items back on Earth. Everyone had one! I-it had many functionalities. Similar to our comm devices, y-you could call and text people. It a-also had a function where you could ask it a-anything and it would give you a variety of answers.”

Murmurs of interest were now heard throughout the crowd. Farris took that time to give himself a breather. He was doing his best to keep his composure, but with so many people… No, best not to think about it. Think about how Juni was counting on him. That helped out a lot.

“It could play music and show videos. You could also take pictures and videos with it. Unfortunately, there isn’t any way for it to work right now, but as NLA develops, I’m sure that these will start being manufactured again for everyone here to use! But, only one Earth-native cell phone exists, making this a relic of the past from a planet that no longer is. And it could be yours starting at 5,000 credits! Any takers?”

Everyone practically exploded with interest. Without a break being given at all, the bid went up higher and higher, and the satisfied look on Juni’s face said it all.

* * *

With the bid over and everyone dispersed, Farris long out a long exhale. He felt like he could breathe properly again with just him and Juni. Speaking of which…

“Juni, what was that all about?”

The grinning and giggling Nopon didn’t look away from the credits he received when he answered.

“Just a little business, that all! Juni owe Fair-Fair a bunch! Seriously, Fair-Fair great salesman! Juni had no clue celly phones had such utility. Juni got small fortune thanks to Fair-Fair!”

Without warning, Juni hopped right into Farris’s arms, nuzzling into him. Farris had no clue what to make of any of this, but was glad for the hug. Nopon really did have such soft fur.

“Y-yeah, well, I’m glad to help out, but please try not to put me on the spot like that again. I’m not good with crowds…”

The Nopon hopped out of Farris’s arms, giving a peace sign.

“Juni understand! Won’t pull stunt like that again. Still, Fair-Fair did great job. Maybe Fair-Fair could be Juni’s actual business partner! Until BLADE missions get up and running, Juni have to rely on salesman tactics to build up reputation. Juni have moderate success, but with Fair-Fair’s great work today, Juni made more profit today than in whole marketing career!”

The boy gave him a sheepish smile, laughing a bit from embarrassment. “I’m not really so sure about all that. We just lucked out because that phone came from my planet. Actually, how did you get yours hands on it anyway?”

The sly grin on Juni’s face made Farris a bit uneasy.

“Juni asked human engineers at BLADE to make it. Cost Juni a pretty penny too, but the amount Juni got back in return more than covers it!”

Farris’s face dropped. Oh no, what did he just do?

“Y-you mean I lied to them!? J-Juni, you scammed them! And you roped me into it!”

The Nopon looked unbothered. Actually, he looked confused.

“Why Fair-Fair so uppity? Sure, celly phone not from Earth itself, but still made by humans with materials brought from Earth. Does planet where celly phone was made matter much? Besides, not like anyone but humans know about human technology anyway. And what problem if buyer think device from Earth? It makes them happy to have relic, and Juni get huge payout in return. Sound like a win-win! Well, Fair-Fair, Juni off to administrative district to see what other cool tech humans used to have! Thanks again, Juni really owe you!”

The Nopon was off before Farris had a chance to say anything else. He wasn’t sure what to make of that. On one hand, Juni lied to everyone about the legitimate value of the phone, but on the other hand, he  _ did _ have a point that it was still made by humans with materials from Earth (assuming that Juni was telling the truth, but what reason did he have for lying to Farris?)

Well, if the buyer’s happy, that was all that mattered. Farris just hoped this wouldn’t come back to bite the Nopon later. There was still a fair bit of daylight left, and seeing as how he’s checked in with the only two friends he had, continuing his stroll through the commercial district sounded like a good way to spend the rest of his day. It was nostalgic, like going through a mall back on Earth.

And so, Farris went about his day, once more feeling like he had grown closer to Juni because of their interaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, i had intended for the next chapter to be the group's first mission, buuuut something came up
> 
> That something was a completely new main character who i just came up with a few days ago and i like her too much to not include her
> 
> This brings up the dilemma of do i make the next chapter her introduction, or should the next chapter be the group's first mission instead? I'll think of something hopefully, but if you guys lean towards a particular side, do let me know!
> 
> Anyways, once again, comments and kudos help motivate me to keep on writing so be sure to let me know you enjoy this fic, and thanks as always for taking the time to check out this little story of mine to begin with .w.


End file.
